The CanElson Drilling Estevan Bruins toppled the highest-scoring team in the SJHL on Friday, but couldn't build on that success the next night.
The Bruins topped the Flin Flon Bombers 6-4 on Friday and lost 4-1 to the Battlefords North Stars on Saturday. Both games were played at Spectra Place.
The Bruins (15-24-3) remain in fifth place in the Sherwood Conference, sitting four points behind the Kindersley Klippers with two games in hand, and four points ahead of the Weyburn Red Wings.
On Saturday, the Bruins fell behind 2-0 to the Stars after the first period and weren't able to capitalize on their scoring chances.
"I was proud of the effort they put in out there. I thought we were physical. It was a sloppy game, but I felt we were determined to be physical out there," said Bruins head coach Keith Cassidy.
"I thought at times we looked a little bit tired, but we battled through that and we did generate some chances. (On Friday) they were going in, (Saturday) not so much. But if we bring an effort like that consistently, more often than not I think we're going to be successful."
The game was not without controversy. With the North Stars leading 3-1 late in the second period, the Bruins scored on a point shot that was deflected.
Referee Derek Nernberg waved the goal off, saying the puck had been swatted into the net with a hand. He then handed the protesting Bruins bench a minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected assistant coach Cole Zahn.
Cassidy was not happy with the decision.
"I thought it was a terrible call. The guy turns - that's a shot from the point coming pretty quick - it's a deflection, it's incidental contact, whether it was (off) his forearm or the side of his hand. He doesn't have control over that. (Nernberg) said it was directed in intentionally with the glove. Terrible call."
The Stars made sure they kept the game under wraps when Kyle Hall scored his second of the night only 11 seconds into the third period, beating Bruins starter Curtis Martinu on a 2-on-1.
"It sort of takes the wind out of your sails. It's a two-goal lead; everybody knows that's the worst lead in hockey, or so they say. We were pretty pumped up between periods to go out there and try and make a push, and that happens right off the bat, yeah, it's frustrating," said Cassidy.
Battlefords had begun the game with two goals five minutes apart in the first period.
Midway through the period, Martinu was caught out of position after going out to play the puck, and Braeden Johnson took advantage with the first goal of the game.
At the 15:25 mark, Bruins defenceman Brett Blatz was caught up ice and Austin Evans scored for the Stars on the resulting 2-on-1.
The Bruins responded only 11 seconds into the middle frame on Alex Cote's second SJHL goal, coming off a centring pass from Dylan Smith.
It took less than five minutes for the North Stars to get it back though, as Hall took a cross-ice feed and fired a shot above Martinu's glove at 4:42.
On Friday, the Bruins outscored the high-octane Bombers, thanks in part to two goals each by Cole Olson and Matt Brykaliuk.
The Bruins gave themselves an excellent head start, lighting the lamp three times in a span of 2:31 midway through the first.
Olson started it off by finishing a tic-tac-toe passing play, taking a feed from Brett Blatz and burying it from the side of the net for a power play goal at 8:11.
One minute later, Taylor Reich scored on a 2-on-1 off a pass from Tanner Froese.
Olson completed the outburst at 10:42, beating Bombers starter Devin Buffalo on a breakaway.
The Bombers responded before long, with Spencer Mault scoring on a shot from between the faceoff circles at 13:48.
Just 72 seconds after that, Josh Roach hammered a low point shot through traffic and past Martinu on a power play to get the Bombers within one.
Flin Flon would tie the game at 4:18 of the second, with Riley Storzuk firing a goal from the right circle while falling to his knees.
The Bruins countered quickly, retaking the lead two minutes later when Tyler Kauk rushed the puck end-to-end before dropping it to Brykaliuk for an easy goal.
Only 46 seconds later, Hudson Morrison beat Buffalo with a high backhander off a 2-on-1 to make it 5-3.
The Bombers got one goal back before the end of the period, with Dillon McCombie knocking in a pass from Andy Blanke out of mid-air.
Brykaliuk added some insurance for Estevan less than five minutes into the third, slipping the puck past backup Brandon Wildung on his forehand.
"I usually black out in those situations, I don't remember what happened," said Brykaliuk, adding that he had to ask a teammate. "I just came down, used my speed and drove the net, held the puck and I kind of banked it off the post and off the goalie and it went in.
"We've been struggling to score goals all year and especially against a top team like that, it's a great feeling."
A moment of silence was held prior to the game in honour of long-time Bruins builder Gord Tenold, who passed away last week.
